


Truth of the Matter

by soufflegirl123



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Downworlder Dad Magnus Bane, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 11:44:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14894016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soufflegirl123/pseuds/soufflegirl123
Summary: Raphael goes to Magnus after everything with Heidi intending to say his goodbyes. Alec is already there and has something to say about the matter.





	Truth of the Matter

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't slept. I wrote this in one hour after dealing with frustration from more computer problems. I'm still working on the Downworlder Dad Series (so no worries about that.) It will likely have a new chapter up by tonight. I just needed to get this one out of my system.

Magnus knows without a doubt that it is Raphael who is standing just on the other side of his apartment door making the wards do that warm, tickling feeling they do whenever someone he likes is waiting for him. Raphael isn’t knocking though. He’s hesitating, and that hesitation is how Magnus knows that the situation is serious. 

In all honesty, he has been waiting for the other to arrive. The last time he had seen Raphael, the younger had looked awful. The death of his sister had nearly destroyed him, and all Magnus had been able to do was sit and hold him as he tried to process. Something that Raphael had not allowed for very long. Magnus had wanted to stay longer. He had planned to camp out in the hotel or take Raphael home with him until he was certain that his son was safe. However, Raphael had sent him away after a few hours stating he needed alone time and wanting to alert everyone else who needed to know about Rosa’s passing. Magnus still felt guilty because he had let Raphael talk him into leaving. He had been so wrapped up in everything with Alexander that he had let himself pretend that Raphael was handling things well. That he was surrounded by enough friends that he would never feel alone. The problem was that while he has been surrounded, it has been more minions than friends, and Magnus is afraid of what trouble Raphael might have gotten into in his emotional state.

“I’m sorry,” Magnus says after he slowly pulls his lips away from Alec’s. Alec’s face scrunches up in his typical confused expression. 

“Sorry for what?”

“That I have to put an early end to the fun we were having.” And they had been having fun. The two of them had been celebrating a successful dinner party by taking advantage of their finally alone time. “I believe I have a family emergency waiting for me.”

Alec snaps into action at that. His face taking on a concerned and determined expression. Alexander the Protector. Protector of his family and now Magnus’s as well, and boy does Magnus love him for putting in so much effort. “What is it? Do you need help?”

“I’m not sure yet,” Magnus admits and pulls himself up. It’s instinct to open the door using magic, but somehow Magnus feels Raphael won’t appreciate that right now. As it is, he refuses to wait any longer for Raphael to make up his mind about whether he is coming in or not. Years of knowing him have made Magnus well aware that the longer Raphael thinks about something, the more he blames himself for whatever it is, and Magnus will not allow that kind of self-hatred in someone he loves so much. 

He manually opens the door and barely bites back a gasp at the pitiful sight that greets him. Raphael’s weight is all on one leg. The other leg he drags behind him as he startles at the door opening, having obviously been too lost in thought to hear Magnus’s approach. He’s holding his arm. It looks like it has been popped out of socket. He’s pale. He’s been crying. Magnus thinks that for someone who plays it cool so often, Raphael is terribly easy to read at times. “This is becoming too familiar,” he jokes darkly. “My dear boy, I do wish you would visit me sometime this year without so many injuries. 

Raphael lets out a gallows laugh. “I don’t think you’ll be having anymore visits from me at all this year,” he says. His voice breaks, and so does Magnus’s heart at his tone. 

“Raphael,” he starts, but Raphael is shaking his head. 

“Don’t. Don’t be kind to me. You’ll regret it once you’ve learned what I’ve done.” 

Magnus stiffens. “Raphael,” he says again. His tone is much more forceful. “Whatever you have done, it will never cause me to stop loving you. Do you understand?”

There are tears pooling in Raphael’s eyes. Whether they are from pain or emotions, Magnus isn’t certain, but he thinks it’s probably a mixture of both. “You’ll change your mind once I tell you, but you deserve an explanation, so I that is why I am here.”

Magnus knows better than to argue with Raphael right then. It’s better to wait and let him tell his side and then show him just how strong his promise is. “Come inside,” he instructs, already reaching out his arms to help him. 

Raphael steps toward the doorway in a way that makes the movement look like a Herculean effort. Magnus takes hold of him as he does and is shocked when Raphael physically recoils. He starts to ask what the problem is, but then he sees Raphael is not dodging him. His eyes are locked on something just over Magnus’s shoulder or rather someone, and he looks terrified. It’s only for a few seconds, but it’s long enough for both Magnus and Alec to notice. 

“Alexander,” Magnus says softly. “Perhaps you should leave-”

“No,” Raphael interrupts, putting up a brave front once more. “He should hear this too, if he hasn’t already. Please stay, Lightwood.”

Alec nods. “I’ll stay.” 

Raphael is trembling from the effort of supporting himself, and Magnus is twitching with the need to heal whatever he can. Even if his darling boy had done something horrible, the universe has always seemed to do worse to him. Raphael never could seem to catch a break, and Magnus knew that if he were in his position, he would have snapped long ago. He reaches out to Raphael again, and this time the younger falls against him. Alec moves forward quickly but in a way that is far from threatening. He is trying. Magnus knows it. He hopes that perhaps Alec has grown to see Raphael differently since the Isabelle incident. The council meetings and Magnus’s own conversations about Raphael had hopefully all served to show Raphael in a more positive light. 

“Let me help,” Alec says and after receiving a nod from Raphael, he takes hold of Raphael’s other arm. They start to guide him to the sofa, but Raphael’s left leg is not moving and whatever energy he had used to get himself to the apartment is long gone. Alec gives in first. He swoops down, one arm behind Raphael’s back and the other behind his knees, and then he lifts him up. He’s not using a single rune. He’s not really using any enhanced strength. People forget how small Raphael is until they hold him, and few people ever get such an opportunity. 

Raphael lets Alec carry him. He lets him put him down on the sofa, and he doesn’t complain. There are no sassy comments. He just looks terrified. Magnus crouches in front of him. “What’s the worst of the injuries?” 

“No, don’t waste your magic on me. I just came to admit my guilt and to say my goodbye.” 

“Where are you going?” Magnus asks. He’s concerned by how final that goodbye seems to sound, and he’s already planning ways to keep him safe. 

“I don’t know,” Raphael admits. He sounds so young. He is still so young to Magnus. 

Alec’s phone buzzes. “It’s Izzy,” he announces, and Raphael begins to cry in earnest. Alec notices, and Magnus is proud of the way that Alec’s response is to check with Raphael. “I don’t have to answer now. I can call her back later.” 

“No, no, she’ll tell you why I have to go.” 

And now Magnus is even more concerned, and he’s really hoping that Alec doesn’t lose his temper because Isabelle is very much his little sister and Alec excels at being a big brother. Alec though calmly answers the phone. Meanwhile, Raphael is bordering on having a panic attack. “I’m so sorry, Papa. I’m so sorry. I wanted to tell you first.” The words come out too quickly. Magnus doesn’t care what the situation is any longer. Perhaps it’s his own biased nature, the kind that some overprotective parents have, but no matter what Raphael has done, his guilt has consumed him to the point that Magnus has no desire to lecture or correct him. All he wants is for Raphael to be okay.

Isabelle is apparently explaining her side of the events to Alec. He remains stone-faced as he receives the details. Raphael can hear everything. Magnus knows he can, and even if he wasn’t aware of just how good vampire hearing is, the keening noise Raphael has started making is a pretty strong indication of what’s happening. Magnus knows that Raphael is thinking that Alec will agree with Isabelle’s assessment of the situation. Hell, Raphael himself probably agrees with her assessment. However, Magnus knows the best. He knows that Isabelle is young and often hypocritical. She forces blame onto others without seeing her own part in it. He also knows Raphael is young (by Magnus’s standards) and often self-hating. He forces blame onto himself without seeing how sometimes things just happened and mistakes could just be mistakes. He really doesn’t want to argue with Alec, but someone just one person at least in the whole universe for once had to be on Raphael’s side. Someone had to put him first and protect him for once. Magnus was going to be that someone. He hated that he hadn’t been before. 

Alec’s expression doesn’t change for a huge part of the call, and Magnus is annoyed because he doesn’t know how to read the situation. He doesn’t know if he should be escorting Raphael off to a safer room away from Alec, or if Alec is going to help him or at least give Raphael a chance to give his side. Finally, Alec’s eyes dart over to Raphael, and Magnus is relieved to see that there is compassion in them even as his voice turns to steel. 

“You do not have the authority to do such a thing,” Alec says. “Take yourself out of this situation now. I am head of the institute, and I will handle this. You will say no word of this to the clave. It is not their jurisdiction either.” Isabelle must have protested as Alec goes quiet again for a few moments. “If you do tell them, then you will have to speak up about your own involvement. Yes, it was indirect, but it was still a factor. You got a second chance, and so will he.” 

Raphael doesn’t seem to comprehend what Alec’s words mean, but Magnus does. He tries to soothe the boy in his arms, no longer worried that he might have to protect him from Alec. Raphael continues to babble into Magnus’s shirt. “I’m sorry, Papa. I’m so sorry.”

“Raphael,” Alec crouches in front of him, and Raphael calms ever so slightly. Alec very gently takes one of Raphael’s hands in his, and Magnus is reminded that Alec is a excellent big brother and has likely soothed many similar crying spells. “Isabelle explained everything to me, but I would like you to tell me what happened as well.”Raphael starts to talk, but Alec stops him. “First, I want you to let Magnus take care of your injuries. Then I think maybe you need some blood.” He looks to Magnus to see if he’s correct. Magnus nods. 

“You look so pale, darling.”

“See. So we’re going to do that. Then you can tell us what happened.”

“But I have to go. It will be light soon.”

“No, you’re not going anywhere,” Alec replies, and Magnus wants to know what that’s all about as those words seem to relax Raphael just slightly. “Now, can you show Magnus your injuries? I bet your leg really hurts. I heard what happened to it. How did you injure your shoulder though?”

“That’s from when Simon visited,” Raphael explains quietly almost shyly. Magnus has rarely seen that side of him before, but it seems Alec is good at bringing it out.

“You can explain that more later, after some blood.”

Together they get him undressed until he’s sitting in his underwear. His leg makes Magnus want to cry. It’s starting to heal, but it’s so bad. Magnus can read into it and knows that if things hadn’t stopped right then Raphael would have lost his leg entirely if not his life. Magnus heals it as best as he can. He allows Alec to bandage it after with the healing poultice Magnus thankfully had in stock while Magnus moves on to treating Raphael’s shoulder. It makes the work go faster. It also helps Alec to feel useful in the situation, and Magnus thinks that it also works to help the two of them bond. A very selfish part of him really wants the two most important men in his life to get along. Together they get Raphael healed up. His leg is strong enough to walk on for short distances even if it still aches. His shoulder is completely healed. Other than the leg, he’s just physically and emotionally exhausted. 

Magnus heats the blood for Raphael while Alec grabs a pair of his own sweatpants and a t-shirt of his for Raphael to wear. He deems all of Magnus’s clothes as too impractical for lounging in, something that Raphael agrees with. 

Magnus pretends to be insulted, acting dramatic enough to cause both Alec and Raphael to smile. 

“Aw, my love, you know I think you look wonderful in your sleep clothes,” Alec cheers him after a moment, leaning him to plant a kiss on Magnus’s lips. Raphael makes a face, and it’s a relief to see him acting somewhat normal. “I just don’t think Raphael would be comfortable in such things while he’s healing.” 

“I wouldn’t,” Raphael confirms, playing with the hem of one too very long sleeve. Even though Magnus’s clothing would definitely be closer in size to what Raphael wears, he definitely looks more comfortable in Alec’s. The clothing swamps his small frame. If he were to stand up, the legs of the pants would drag on the floor. As it he has the shirt pulled over his knees, and it’s not even close to be stretched out. It’s endearing. 

Magnus helps Raphael to drink the mug of blood, steadying his shaking hands as he brings it up to his lips. Alec sits nearby, and he and Magnus carry on a very casual conversation while Raphael drinks and tries to rest for a moment. When the mug is finally empty, they all realize it’s time for them to actually have the talk. 

Raphael very slowly begins to explain. Alec prompts certain things when it sounds as if Raphael is telling the story in the way that frames himself in the worst light. “So Heidi was going to die, but you turned her to keep Simon from -”

“Well-” 

Even if Raphael does tries to blame himself, both Magnus and Alec can read between lines very well. They both realize Raphael was wrong to torture Heidi (though she had turned out to be quite violent herself in the long run), they also realize that he ahd done so out of purely good intentions and out of desperation. 

“This is technically the vampires’ jurisdiction,” Alec explains after a moment. “Isabelle cannot banish you. Even if it were shadowhunter business, she does not have such authority.”

“But I’m the head of my clan,” Raphael reminds him.

“What is your normal protocol?”

Magnus is well aware that the vampires did not tend to worry about such things. He has little doubt that after Heidi’s own crimes, very few would feel the need to get payback for her and would say she had taken. And if they did, the next in charge would be Lily, and Lily loved Raphael nearly as much as Magnus did, though in a much more complicated way. Raphael shrugs, and Magnus explains for him. 

“Would you like me to think of something then?” Alec asks, seemingly understanding Raphael’s need to make up for his actions. Raphael nods.

“Okay then, here is what you have to do.”

Magnus feels Raphael tense against him. He can’t help but prepare himself for something as well. 

“You are going to take a break from clan duties for as long as it takes for you to process everything that has been happening.” By that he means the Camille situation, the Simon situation, the Isabelle situation, the addiction, his sister’s death, another Simon situation, the Heidi situation, the Seelie situation, the Valentine situation, and probably a dozen others that Alec can’t think of right then. “You are going to have Lily fill in for you. You are going to hide out here-,” he looks to Magnus who nods his approval. “And you’re going to give yourself time to grieve properly and to heal. You’re going to talk to Magnus and to anyone else you trust and feel comfortable talking to. When Magnus thinks you are ready, you can go back to your duties, but you have to continue to talk to Magnus regularly. How does that sound?”

Raphael looks like he might cry again, but it’s a different kind of tears. “It sounds fair.”

Alec nods. “Good. Now,I should probably head back to the institute.” Magnus blinks in surprise. Alec had planned on spending the weekend at the apartment. Though he guesses Alec might be trying to give him and Raphael some privacy. 

Raphael looks between Alec and Magnus. “You should stay,” he says. “Please stay,” he adds. “Papa would like it.” Alec’s eyes widen, and he looks over at Magnus, who gives a small smile. 

“We could finally watch some of those movies,” Magnus says instead of explaining. 

“Okay, I will stay.”

He settles on the couch and squeezes between the arm rest and Magnus. He wraps an arm around Magnus’s shoulders and pulls him close until Magnus’s back is against Alec’s chest. Raphael is on Magnus’s other side. His legs are up on the couch. The injured one is elevated on a pillow. Magnus squirms until he’s more firmly pressed against Alec then swings his legs up until they are on either side of Raphael’s legs and pulls Raphael to his own chest.

“Is there a reason why I’m the tallest and get the least amount of room?” Alec asks after a moment.

“It’s because you’re such a good pillow,” Magnus explains and hands Raphael the remote to select a movie for them. He selects a fantasy movie for them to Alec’s surprise. Alec likes it even though both Raphael and Magnus tease him about growing out his hair long and dyeing it blonde so that he can be a proper elf. He argues that he would be more of an Aragorn type, and then he gets revenge by telling Magnus he needs to grow out a long beard if he wants to be a proper wizard. They debate for awhile which race Raphael would belong to and decide he would probably be an elf. Raphael only makes it through half the movie before he falls asleep. Magnus tucks the blanket around him, and he and Alec continue watching the movie. “Don’t worry. He’s seen it a dozen times,” Magnus explains when Alec asks if they should pause it and resume it when he wakes. 

“So,” Alec starts once he is certain Raphael is completely asleep. “Papa?”

Magnus tilts his head up to look at Alec. “Is that a problem?”

“No, I mean, I assumed it was something like that, but I didn’t know it was so much of that.”

“It’s a me and him thing. Apparently, it’s now also a you thing.”

“Is that a problem?” he echoes Magnus’s earlier question. 

“Never.”

“So what does that mean for me?”

“You’ll have to talk with him. What do you want it to mean?” Magnus asks. He feels Alec shrug behind him. 

“Well, if you’re his papa and I’m your boyfriend then I’m his papa’s boyfriend. But if we say-got married one day then I would be his papa’s husband, so like step-dad?”

Magnus grins, knowing what it is that Alec is hinting about. “Step-dad has a certain ring to it. You know-if you were to become his papa’s husband, that is.”


End file.
